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The Universal Automobile (UA) is a "public domain" vehicle used by subscribers; it is powered by batteries which can be automatically trickle-charged using "charging mats" deployed across preferred downtown locations designated as "UA Parking Areas" , or alternatively, their batteries can be quickly exchanged at traditional gasoline stations converted to accommodate automatic "swapping"..

So You Want Electric Cars??

Have you ever wondered what you could do with all the money
tied up in the car that you use to go back and forth to work?? Everything considered,
commuter vehicles are very wasteful -- at the same time, driving is becoming
more and more frustrating as it takes longer to get where you want to go.

While it may be exciting to accelerate from 0 to 100 in less
than 10 seconds, the fact is that when vehicles are stuck in grid-locked traffic
they are all essentially rendered to the same level of uselessness regardless
of their individual cost, power, and styling.

This article will most assuredly raise a lot of questions regarding
the widespread strategy being used to introduce electric cars; it also proposes
a comprehensive solution that should stimulate readers to "think outside the
box" -- here are some examples: why aren't all batteries made to a single specification,
why do batteries have to be built into the vehicle, and why is recharging restricted
to a power cable?

This is part of a much larger world-wide dilemma presented by rising petroleum
prices caused by scarce oil reserves and incredible waste from inefficient use
and war.

The most critical issue is the gas-guzzling single-occupant
vehicle (SOV) that is primarily used for daily commuting to and from city centers
-- the reality is that society remains &quot;drugged or hypnotized" on owning cars
simply because auto manufacturers apparently do not want change and so there
is no viable alternatives from which to choose, until now….

THE QUESTIONS ARE VERY BASIC: Can electric power be simplified
and widely distributed as a cheap fuel? Why do you have to own a vehicle? Is
it possible to improve mass transit? Are there new benefits that may become
available?

First, let's examine just 4 of the problems that now exist…..

Problem #1:

Mass transit, HOV lanes, specialty passes, and other &quot;temporary
fixes" generally have not provided broad, long-term benefits - commuter roads
remain clogged with automobiles as the preferred choice; the majority of all
vehicles used for commuting are occupied by only the driver and then take up
"dead space" (parking lots) in valuable downtown locations for most
of the day.

Traffic infrastructure costs are soaring while pollution is
increasing taxes and other financial penalties at every opportunity, there is
apparently no end to what can only be described as a mess across North America.

Problem #2:

Cities are struggling with the dilemma of increased demand for
parking lots on valuable land, but improved roads simply promotes increased
traffic congestion; "expensive" city locations are being vacated for
the suburbs, eroding important tax revenues, and using up valuable agricultural
land - ultimately, all of this could mean that all transportation facilities
to downtown today may actually be used less in future; there are many examples
of this phenomenon across North America.

Using self-owned vehicles (regardless of fuel) that are used
for commuting only makes the mess worse; this is like trying to put out a fire
with gasoline, right?

Problem #3:

Development of new technology for batteries, fuel cells, and
&quot;hybrid" vehicles from automobile manufacturers are presumably presenting problems
that are conspiring to delay the widespread and economical use of electricity
as a viable alternative to gasoline and diesel; in other words, the author of
this article believes that all the component technology already exists and that
manufacturers are simply resisting to embrace any alternatives.

Electric trams, trolleys, and rapid transit use only 15% of
the electricity that is made available to them; the rest is wasted.

Problem #4:

Since the early 1950's, cars continue to be marketed on ego
and sex appeal, power, styling, and handling, with the result that society is resisting
the concept of the &quot;universal" use of electric vehicles -- this psychological
hurdle must not be underestimated.

Furthermore, the press and media have become so dependent upon
the money involved with automotive advertising that any new proposition is typically
ridiculed instead of being logically presented as newsworthy.

Some Of The Opportunities:

(1) More than 50 million car batteries exist throughout North
America, of several different sizes/shapes, but almost all could be fitted to
a standardized compartment and integrated into three charging methods to provide
enough power for local commuting around downtown core areas initially and then
expanded to accommodate suburbs and long distance travel as power stations expand
geographically.

(2) Electricity from solar and wind technology has matured and
can be cost-effectively distributed by converting existing gasoline stations
to handle battery recharging and swapping as another form of fuel along with
propane and diesel.

(4) Universal Automobiles (UA) would release a lot of valuable
&quot;dead space" currently used for parking; on the other hand, subscribers would
enjoy access to all preferred parking locations currently off-limits; deployment
of curbside &quot;charging mats" would be determined according to parking patterns
mapped out by computer analysis.

(5) Every mass transit trip has two &quot;legs" which are described
as being &quot;negative":

Starting leg : Getting to a mass transit station from a point
of origin

Ending leg: Arriving at a final destination from a mass transit
station

This is actually a "window" of opportunity because
people want to travel more independently and more completely than mass transit
can currently provide; a universal automobile would enable commuters to quickly
and cheaply &quot;customize" the negative legs of their trip.

(6) Fiberglass is excellent for body parts, but it also means
that manufacturing can be decentralized to provide local employment nearer to
urban tax bases where the vehicles are being used.

(7) The free enterprise economic system has prevailed and there
are many instances of large-scale projects being financed by public share offerings;
users will therefore participate more proactively and responsibly as stakeholders
than as taxpayers.

The Universal Automobile A Complete Solution For Electric Motoring

3-wheel Electric Vehicle

General Vehicle Description:

The Universal Automobile (UA) is a "public domain"
vehicle used by subscribers; it is powered by batteries which can be automatically
trickle-charged using "charging mats" deployed across preferred downtown
locations designated as &quot;UA parking areas", or alternatively, their batteries
can be quickly exchanged at traditional gasoline stations converted to accommodate
automatic &quot;swapping".

Those converted power supply stations will use underground battery
carousels for recharging -- batteries are automatically swapped as vehicles
&quot;pull up", a process that will utilize a combination of solar and hydro power
and require less than 2 minutes while the driver does not have to leave the
vehicle.

In order for a "subscriber" to purchase a stored value
(&quot;smart") card, s/he must have a valid driver's license whose individual record
will determine the cost per kilometer -- i.e. from $.25/k to as much as $1.00++/k
-- the value purchased will be applied against the number of kilometers driven,
being recalculated by on-board software; smart cards are widely used in many
mass transit systems world-wide.

If a vehicle exceeds 60 kph, an increased rate is used against
the stored value on the card, vandalism or accidents will cause the card to
be locked inside the vehicle for driver identification, and GPS can report vehicles
that sit idle for longer than 24 hours, lose charge, or that leave the designated
UA-usage zone.

NOTE: All component systems and functionality have been designed
and documented in detail.

The proposed vehicle can carry 2 passengers and 100 kilos (50
pounds) of goods at up to 75 k (40 miles) per hour on level roadways; it is
very efficient because it utilizes a light but durable fiberglass body and its
3-wheel design is safe and stable; the smart card will not eject if anything
over 100 grams is left in the vehicle - the integrated charging strategy enables
vehicles to operate 24 hours per day.

Subscribers can only retrieve their stored value card if they
leave a vehicle in a charging state (on-board systems signal several conditions)
-- the vehicle can then be immediately used by another subscriber; GPS can monitor
each UA electronically so that computer analysis of usage patterns can ensure
that UA supply always meets demand.

Commuters can make better use of mass transit, reduce city core
parking and traffic costs, and provide a variety of new-found benefits to everyone
involved; to this end, user "buy-in" is vital for maximize usage --
offering public shares in the enterprise encourages the public to become "stakeholders"
in their own enterprise.

This solution is not intended to completely replace self-owned
automobiles regardless of what fuel they use, traditional fuel delivery, nor
their related products and services, but it should provide a way to adjust dependence
on them all without significantly disrupting inter-related and inter-dependent
economies during a reasonable adjustment period.

There is a migration path: As the urban solution matures, the
system can easily be expanded into the suburbs; then, as more fuel stations
offer the battery exchange service, private ownership of semi-customized electric
vehicles will enable cheap recreational and even cross-country travel.

Properly implemented along with government, this electric vehicle
and its overall system will introduce a long-overdue solution to regular commuting
and better usage of existing transit systems; this comprehensive solution will
solve the most challenging problems and present new-found benefits to every
city that embraces it and to those who use it.

Everyone concerned about overall economy of commuter travel
should be excited about this article, especially those who must control their
time, route, and destination more precisely than traditional mass transit has
been able to provide.

This electric vehicle system will provide a solution to commuting
by complementing mass transit not competing with it --- It is an exciting new
option that has been missing until now........

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